Brake shelf for railroad cars



Nov. 10, 1931. J. J. TATUM BRAKE SHELF FOR RAILROAD CARS Filed Jan. 4, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 3nventor (Ittorneg Nov- 0, 1931- J. J. TATU-M 1,831,517

BRAKE SHELF FOR RAILROAD QARS Filed Jan. 4, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' l H I',

attorney Patented Nov. 10, 1931.

PATENT OFFICE JOHN J. TATUM, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND BRAKE SHELF FOR RAILROAD CARS Application filed January 4, 1930. Serial No'..418,574.

In the economicadministration that is now being practiced in railroad management efforts are being made to not only reduce the number of separate parts carried in storage and shops and division centers, but efforts are directed to reduce the number of manual operations in producing and attaching parts to railroad cars. Integral devices are favored because of the liability, and tendency m of separate parts working loose in the service movements of cars in transit.

One of the objects of my'invention is to provide a one piece brake shelf for freight cars, which will be simple in construction, and

easy in attachment, cheap in manufacturing cost, and provided with means to drain cinders and the elements from the foot contacting surface, and provided with a foot guard to prevent the trainmen from slipping from the shelf; and with this and other objects in view my invention consists of the one piece foot shelf hereinafter set forth. I

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a freight car. slightly in perspective with my improved shelf attached thereto.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of my improved shelf detached.

Figure 3 is afront elevation of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view of Figure 2 taken about midway between its ends.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4: showin." another embodiment of my invention.

35 The reference numeral 6 designates a freight car of approved construction, provided with the usual brake staff 7, my improved brake shelf being designated in Figure 1 by the reference letter A.

My improved one piece shelf comprises the foot rest or shelf 8 having at its rear edge an upstanding attaching flange 9 provided with bolt or rivet openings 10 in which bolts or rivets are secured to attach the shelf to a car. This foot rest or shelf 8 is provided with a depressed corrugation 11 which, preferably, decreases in depth toward the ends of the shelf, as best seen in Figure 3, and at its deepest point is provided with an exit port 12. I prefer to form this corrugation in the direction of the longest dimension of the shelf. This corrugation 11 not only func. tions as a rigidifying beam for the shelf, but also functions as a drain throughwhich c-inders and the. elements are drained from the foot contacting surface of the shelf. The

corrugation llprovid'es a much stronger foot rest or shelf, and in this added strength com pensates for the loss of metal from the upper face of. the support 8 due to corrosion and deterioration, thereby adding materially not only to the safety ofthe shelf, but to the life of the shelf in actual service.

The shelf is provided with end flanges 13 which terminate in attaching flanges 14 which are provided with boltor rivetholes' 15. The flange 9, brackets13 and flanges sustain the shelf, when in position, against downward thrusts, while the flanges 14 and brackets 13 provide against end thrusts.

The forward edge of the foot rest or support 8 is provided with an upstanding flange 16:) to prevent the foot of the trainman from slipping off the support, although, as shown. in Figure 5, this flangema-y be omitted, if desired. i

The foot support preferably is provided with perforations to facilitate draining.

What I claim is: k

1'. A one piece brake shelf for railroad-cars pressed up from one piece, comprising a foot shelf, an upstanding attaching flange at the rear'edg'e of the shelf, and a rigidifying depressed corrugation in said shelf functioning as a beam extending between the ends ofthe shelf. 1

2. A one piece brake shelf for railroad cars pressed up from one piece, comprising a foot shelf, an upstanding attaching flange at the rear edge of the shelf, and a rigidifying depressed corrugation in said shelf functioning as a beam extending between the ends of the shelf, and a drain port at the bottom of said corrugation. i

3.; A one piece brake shelf for railroad cars pressed up from one piece of metal, comprising a shelf, an upstanding attaching flange at the rear edge of the shelf, and arigidifying depressed corrugation in said. shelf dficipasing in depth toward the ends of the s e at. A one piece brake shelf for railroad cars pressed up from one piece of metal, comprising a shelf, an upstanding attaching flange at the rear edge of the shelf, and a rigidifying depressed corrugation in said shelf decreasing in depth toward the ends of the shelf, and a drain port through the bottom wall of and at the deepest point in said corrugation.

5. A one piece brake shelf for railroad cars pressed up from one piece, and comprising a foot shelf having a brake staff opening therethrough, an upstanding attaching flange at the rear edge of said shelf, brackets at each end of the shelf terminating in attaching flanges, a depressed corrugation in said shelf 7 which functions as a rigidifying beam and drain for the shelf.

6. A one piece brake shelf for railroad cars pressed up from one piece, and comprising a foot shelf having a brake staff opening therethrough, an upstanding attaching flange at the rear edge of said shelf, brackets at each end of the shelf terminating in attaching flanges, a depressed corrugation in said shelf which functions as'a rigidifying beam and drain for the shelf, and an upstanding foot guard flange at the outer edge of the shelf.

7. A one piece brake shelf for railroad cars made from one piece of metal; said shelf comprising a foot shelf having a brake staff opening therethrough, an attaching upstanding flange at the rear edge of said shelf, brackets at each end of the shelf terminating in attaching flanges, a depressed corrugation in said foot shelf decreasing in depth toward each end of the foot shelf, said corrugation functioning as a rigidifying beam and drain for the foot shelf, and a drain port through the bottom wall of the said corrugation.

8. A one piece brake shelf for railway cars pressed up from one piece, comprising a perforated foot shelf, and a right angle attaching flange at the rearedge of the shelf, having rigidifying depressed corrugation to function as a beam in the foot floor, extendingbetween the ends of the shelf.

9. A one-piece brake shelf for railway cars,

comprising a foot shelf having attaching means and provided with a longitudinally extending depressed rigidifying corrugation functioning as a strengthening beam.

10. A one-piece brake shelf for railway cars, comprising a foot shelf having attaching means and provided with a longitudinally extending depressed rigidifying corrugation functioning as a strengthening beam, said corrugation being of maximum depth at a middle point and provided with a drain opening.

11. A one-piece brake shelf for railway cars, comprising a foot shelf having a right angularly disposed attaching flange at the 

